In this edition of Pagecast, the podcast from Jonathan Ball Publishers, Monique Verduyn interviews Karen Horn, about her book, Prisoners of Jan Smuts: Italian Prisoners of War in South Africa in WWII.

Pagecast offers you insider interviews with recently published authors, looking into the process of writing, exploring the narratives within and providing you with the story behind the story.

Prisoners of Jan Smuts recounts the stories of survival and shenanigans of the Italian POWs in the Union through the eyes of five prisoners who had documented their experiences in memoirs and letters.

While many POWs seemed to appreciate the opportunities to gain new skills, others clung to the Fascist ideas they had grown up with and refused to work. Many opted to remain in South Africa once the war had ended, forging quite a legacy.

These included sculptor Edoardo Villa, who left an important mark in the local and international art world, and businessman Aurelio Gatti, who built an ice-cream empire whose gelato was to delight generations of South Africans.

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Categories Non-fiction South Africa

Tags Jonathan Ball Publishers Karen Horn Monique Verduyn Pagecast Podcasts Prisoners of Jan Smuts